System of trench warfare.



J. L'DUFFIE.

SYSTEMOF TRENCH WARFARE. APPLICATION me!) MAY 22. 1911.

1,302,904. I Patented May 6,1919.

As m

INVENTOH Witness \77 J. DUFF/E A TTORNEYQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. DUFFIE, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

SYSTEM OF TREHCH WARFARE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

' Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed May 22, 1917. Serial No. 170,256.

To all whom it may concern:

- which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a system of warfare and is-particularly adaptedto trench lighting.

An object of the invention is to destroy or incapacitate that portion ofthe enemy occu-- pying a trench.

4 Another object ofthe-invention is to pro vide a system for wagingwarfare by elec: tricity. V

The invention possesses other features, some of which, with theforegoing, will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings; accompanying and forming partof the present specification- It is to be understood that the inventionas expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

The system of warfare of my invention consists in filling or chargingthe air over and in a trench or a section of trench with finely dividedparticles of an electricity-conducting substance and then causing ahigh] potential electric current to flash through the conductingatmosphere in the trench.

a for a time.

.and over the rial.- Shells or rockets carrying metallic- The conductivematerial may be mercury vapor or flake graphite or other substance whichwill remain in suspension in the air This material is dispersed intrench from explosive shells provided either with time or impact fusesand by directing a barrage fire of such shells at the. trench, the airwill become very heavily charged with the conducting mateplates attachedto opposite sides'of a source of high potential are then fired at theends of the trench and by closing the circuit, the

high potential current will are through the conducting material in theair, producing an are extending for the length of the trench section.The are Wlll have the effect of in-.

capacitating the men in the trench. In the-accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a trench, with the electrodes forming part ofmy system disposed at the ends thereof.

Fig.2 is an elevation partly section of charge 2. This charge may beexploded by a fuse or detonator controlled by the cap 5, so that theexplosion of the charge may be timed or may be caused by impact. Asulficient number of shells are fired to completely fill the air in thetrench with the conductive material, and then an electrode projectile 6is fired at the trench at each end of the prepared'zone or at suitabledistances apart, depending upon the potential employed.

The electrode projectile may be fired from a Lylegun, such as is used inmarine lifesa 1 work. Attached to theprojectile is an ectric conductor,preferably in the form f an insulated wire or cable 7, which is carriedforward to the trench 8 by the projectile. The head 9 of the projectileis preferably formed of a plurality of. overlapping sheet metal leaves12 covered on the outside with some insulating material and the cable 7is connected to these leaves.- A small charge 13 of explosive within thehead is exploded preferably by the impact of the projectile, causing theleaves to spread out, to present their clean surfaces to the chargedair. A SWltCll'14 in the circuit is then closed, or is previouslyclosed, causin the high potential current to bridge thehighly-conductive gap in a flash. The cables and the outer surfaces ofthe electrode leaves are insulated to prevent groundin and the cablesare arranged in coils 15, sot readily carried forward by theprojectiles.

I claim: M

1. A system of trench warfare, comprising means for disseminatingelectric conducting material in finely divided form in the air in atrench and means for passing an electric current through'said air.

2. Asystem-of trench warfare, comprising means for disseminatingelectric conducting material in finel divided form in the air in atrench, space electrodes in said trench and means for oppositelycharging sa d elecat they may be p s cow material in finel a trench,means or placing spaced electrodes in said trench and means foroppositely,

I means for disseminating electric conducting material in finely dividedform in the air in a trench, projectile electrodes adapted to be firedinto said trench at spaced intervals, a source of high potential currentand insulated conductors connecting the electrodes with said source.

6. An explosive'shell containing a charge of electric conductingmaterial adapted to be disseminated in light finely divided particles bythe explosion of the shell.

7. An explosive shell containing a char e of material which on theexplosion of tfie divided form in the air in shell forms anelectricity-conducting zone in the surrounding air. 8. The method oftrench warfare, which consists 'in making the. atmosphere in a trenchelectrically conductive and (passing a high potential current throughsai conductive atmosphere.

9. The method of trench warfare, which consists in'exploding a pluralityof shells containing electricity-conductive material in finely dividedform over the trench and passing an electric current through saidmaterial after the shells have exploded.- 10. A system of trenchWarfare, comprising a plurality'of explosive shells containingelectricity-conductive material adapted to be exploded over the trenchto charge the atmosphere therein with said material, electrodes adaptedto be fired to spaced points I in said trench and a source of'highpotential current connected to said electrodes.

In.testi1nony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 'at Washington, D.C., this 22d day of May 1917.

- JOHN J DUFFIE.

